Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs IBM Power Systems comparison

Cisco and IBM are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Cisco is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.6, while IBM is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.8. Cisco holds a 4.5% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to IBM’s 9.1% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Read 29 Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers reviews

3,270 Views
1,957 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

IBM Power Systems

Read 69 IBM Power Systems reviews

5,130 Views
3,640 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

IBM Power Systems

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers and IBM Power Systems compete in the server solutions category. Cisco UCS C-Series shows advantages in cost-effectiveness and ease of management, while IBM Power Systems have the upper hand in terms of performance and reliability.

Features: Cisco UCS C-Series offers integration capabilities, flexibility, and ease of management, enhancing operational efficiency. IBM Power Systems highlights include reliability, high processing power, and scalability, supporting demanding workloads efficiently.

Room for Improvement: Cisco UCS C-Series could enhance performance under heavy workloads, improve support for high-demand applications, and optimize hardware resources. IBM Power Systems require simpler configuration processes, streamlined management tools, and more intuitive interface options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco UCS C-Series is straightforward in deployment with responsive customer service, facilitating adoption and integration. IBM Power Systems may have a longer deployment curve but are supported by a knowledgeable team for handling complex queries.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco UCS C-Series offers competitive pricing and favorable ROI, appealing to budget-conscious businesses. IBM Power Systems, despite a higher setup cost, deliver robust long-term ROI through superior performance and reliability.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems

January 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Ranking in Rack Servers

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Density Optimized Servers (3rd)

IBM Power Systems

Ranking in Rack Servers

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

8.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 4.5%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Power Systems is 9.1%, up from 8.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Ehsan Emad

Head of IT at Synnapex

The VIC card is the most important feature.

I rate Cisco USC C-Series Rack Servers 10 out 10. If you plan to buy a C-Series, you should be clear about why you want to use it because the uses vary. different. Whether you're using Cisco, HPE, Dell or any other brand, it's essential to define your use case. For example, are you using it for a simulation graphics, calculations, etc.? Depending on the use case, you might want to go with a small server with more CPU. Sometimes you need a light CPU with a powerful GPU. For example, if we have a C-Series with four CPUs at the same time, or we have a server that's handled two CPUs at the same time—the purpose is crucial. C-Series is good enough compared to other competitors like HPE and the other ones. The HPE C20 is one unit and has a lot of RAM support, but the C-series is number one, in my opinion.

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Omobolaji Olaloku

Senior Enterprise System Engineer at Zenith-bank

Extremely stable, good ROI, and scalable

The most valuable feature of our machines is their ability to replace faulty parts without causing any downtime. Our servers are equipped with advanced technology, making it possible to replace defective parts without having to bring down the servers. This is crucial, as any disruption to our services would result in inconvenience to our customers. Therefore, being able to service the machines and replace parts without causing any downtime is highly beneficial.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Cisco rack servers are very easy to integrate with other products from different vendors."

"The most valuable features of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are agileness, ease of operation, and manageability."

"We have many people in my organization using Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers in the administration."

"The solution is reliable and easy to use."

"The server can be configured easily."

"The solution is stable."

"It has centralized our server management and allows us to treat servers like a pool of resources instead of discrete devices."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the expansion and replacement of parts."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pros

"IBM Power Systems provides very good performance and stability compared to other brands or processors."

"The uptime feature is great."

"I use the hypervisor of IBM Power Systems a lot."

"The initial setup is simple and straightforward."

"Some of the most valuable features are the processing power, stability, and security."

"We found working with IBM Power Systems that LPM is the most valuable feature."

"From a software developer standpoint, virtualization is really the key, as we can more easily spin up a new partition, virtual instance of IBM i."

"The performance and stability are great."

More IBM Power Systems pros

Cons

"The product must add customer-friendly monitoring features."

"On the contact center and video conferencing, I would definitely like to see more AI features. The AI features are key for us. You will find a lot of them in the cloud-based solution, but in the on-premises solution, they're hardly there. I would like to see the same AI features that are there in the cloud-based Cisco UC."

"There is very little scalability for the cluster. If you need a higher availability, there is a user limitation. So that is the low side."

"The improvement should be done as per customer requirements."

"The solution can be improved by adjusting the cost."

"The warranty and support periods should be extended."

"There is room for better integration with other brands."

"The initial setup could be easier."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers cons

"Price and complexity related to the management of the solution are areas of concern in the solution where improvements are required."

"Technical support and documentation need to be improved."

"The scalability process should be simplified."

"In Power6, latency was an issue, but nowadays, we are on Power8, which doesn't have any such problems. Sometimes, we have issues when we are moving to a new version, which is the case with almost every company. Some new issues or problems show up suddenly, and you do not have the time to research and find the solution. That's when we contact IBM technical support."

"Power Systems' price could always be lower."

"Its management can be made easier because it is not easy to manage. They should also find a new way for migrating from an old Power Systems to a new one. The migration process is currently very complicated. It should be made easier to scale. Currently, its scalability depends on the initial sizing, whereas in Nutanix HCI, you can add whatever you need and whenever you need it."

"I think the cost should be cheaper."

"If you take advantage of some of these real advanced features, for oversubscribing as an example, it's not supported on Linux on Power. So that stops us, in particular, from going that way."

More IBM Power Systems cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price for Cisco is a bit higher than its competitors. We paid 40k for one server."

"This product is quite expensive and it would be better if it were cheaper."

"The solution could be more cost-effective."

"My company has an agreement with Cisco to get discounted rates. It is one of the reasons why we chose the product."

"Cisco is expensive, but we didn't look at the cost of the product. We were looking at reliability and support."

"The price of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is approximately 20 percent more than other solutions."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis, which is only $2,000 or $3,000."

"The price of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is high."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

"Its price depends on the sizing."

"Its price is too high."

"Power Systems is a bit more costly than other products in the market, but in terms of ROI and the longevity, performance, and reliability that Power Systems provides, it's worth it in the long run."

"Why should I be charged for that use rather than a single CPU, a single socket?"

"There is a yearly licensing cost, and it's an expensive solution."

"The pricing of the solution is very good because we can beat any other competitor with the pricing. Lately, they have offered good pricing for their customer."

"The price of IBM Power Systems is expensive and could improve."

"The pricing is reasonable."

More IBM Power Systems pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

22%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

University

Financial Services Firm

18%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The C-series is the most valuable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The solution is moderately priced.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The improvement should be done as per customer requirements.

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM Power Systems?

IBM Power Systems provides very good performance and stability compared to other brands or processors.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Power Systems?

IBM should provide a platform where users can learn about the storage and security of IBM Power Systems.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM Power Systems?

In my company, we use the system for the data center and our IBM Cloud Pak System.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 58% of the time

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 24% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 7% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Dell XR2 Rugged Server vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers Competitors

Intel Server System vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 46% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 17% of the time

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 17% of the time

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 13% of the time

More IBM Power Systems Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

March 2025

Download Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Power Systems

February 2025

Download IBM Power Systems product report

Also Known As

Unified Computing System C-Series, Cisco UCS C-Series

IBM OpenPOWER LC

Overview

UCS C-Series Rack Servers deliver unified computing in an industry-standard form factor to reduce TCO and increase agility. Each server addresses varying workload challenges through a balance of processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources.

Cisco

IBM Power Systems are built to crush the most advanced data applications - from the mission-critical workloads you run today to the next generation of AI.

IBM

Sample Customers

Advanced Medical Transport, Aegean Motorway, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Artoni Transporti, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, City of Mississauga, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Kind en Gezin, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Nationwide, Quest, Talbots, University of St. Gallen

Cipher

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems

January 2025

Free Report: Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems

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